A friction plate clutch of an automatic transmission is ordinarily applied via a clutch piston, which in turn is actuated via hydraulic fluid pressure. Hydraulic fluid pressure supplied to a given friction plate clutch is closely regulated via the use of a regulating valve, which in turn may be controlled by a pressure control solenoid (PCS). Clutch pressure is typically calculated via a transmission control module rather than directly measured. For instance, the transmission control module may multiply a commanded PCS pressure by a calibrated gain, with the calibrated gain being a function of the geometry of the regulating valve upon which the PCS pressure acts. However, such methods may be less than optimal when performing shifts during certain driving maneuvers.